David Amsel Meyer

David Amsel Meyer (19 September 1755 - 30 August 1813) was a Danish businessman and financial advisor to the Danish government. In 1780, he became the first Jewish member of Grosserer-Societetet.

Early life and education

Meyer was born on 19 September 1755 in Copenhagen, the son of merchant Amsel Jacob Meyer (Hausen) (c. 1728–98) and Brendel Meyer (died 1763). His father was after the mother's death married to Hitzelia Meyer (c. 1746–1819). The family lived at Gammel Strand 44. Meyer received a very poor aducation but showed an unusual gift for mercantile business. With substantial credits from relatives in Altona and Amsterdam, he was quickly able to establish a thriving wholesale business. It was overseas trade and exchange transactions that were his speciality. In 1780, after considerable opposition, he was the first Jew to acquire citizenship as a wholesale merchant (grosserer) in Copenhagen. In 1793, together with his nephew, he formed the large trading house Meyer & Trier. With great ease he overcame the losses caused by the Copenhagen Fire of 1795, and after some difficulties they also managed the great trade crisis in 1799, which also reached Copenhagen from England via Hamburg. Shortly thereafter, Meyer started to act as a financial advisor to the Danish government.

Meyer owned the property at Frederiksholms Kanal 5 and the La Fontaine House in Gentofte north of the city.

Personal life

In Aapril 1776 in Altona, ;eyer married to (Jochebed) Jacobine Meyer (c. 1754–1843). She was the daughter of financier Israel Jacob Meyer (died 1802) and his first wife Edel Minden (died 1782). He was the maternal uncle of businessman Ernst Meyer (1797-1861).

Further reading

• Levin Nathanson, Michael: Leben Des Hofraths David Amsel Meyer: Aus Dem Danischen Ubersetzt